Two And A Half Blocks In The Rain
I've decided that the above distance, about two and a half blocks, is the perfect distance to really mess up your clothes in the rain. Consider: anything more than three blocks--four or five CITY blocks, for instance--is too far to even attempt running through the rain. You look at outside, you've got four blocks to go, and you say "There's no way I'm walking that far in THAT," and you stay where you are until the rain subsides. Alternatively, if you've only got a block to go, you man-up and sprint the block in the rain. You'll end up a little damp, but it's nothing that won't dry in a few minutes.
"Why bring this up?" you ask. Why do I bring anything up on my blog?! Because I feel like it! Now I feel like yelling! AHH! Regardless, Monday of this week I had my SC gig rehearsal. As such, Monday I headed to the Training Center. When I left my apartment, the sun was shining, and it was still warm enough that I didn't need a jacket. As I got to the bus, it was sprinkling a bit, but nothing to make me think I was in trouble. I then waited for the L and, still, there wasn't anything to make me think I should turn around. But the weather changed as I got on the train, and it started hailing only a stop after I got onto the train. Hail!
Which reminds me... I should mention that it's been the rainiest, dampest, August-September-and-into-October that I can ever remember here in Chicago this year. It's rained at least once a week for the past couple months and, normally, when it rains one day it'll rain the next two days as well.
Which brings me back to the train, Monday afternoon. It's raining... hard! and I've got two and a half blocks from the Sedgewick El stop to the Training Center. I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing at the TC, but I know I'm getting paid, so I don't want to be late and I don't want to arrive wet. These two things, at this point, are incommensurable. I'm supposed to be there at 2... and it was probably 1:47ish by the time I got to my train stop. I have very little time to wait for the rain to let up (which it didn't look like it was doing). It had stopped hailing, but it was still raining hard. I jumped off the train... and cut across the street to an awning, where a jogger had stopped to wait for the rain to let up. I asked her how long she'd been waiting, and she said she'd been waiting for a while--the storm sneaking up on her just after she left. I figured it wasn't going to let up in time for me to completely wait it out, so my dress clothes and I starting jogging. I decided quick bursts/sprints to various awnings was the best course of action... and I was able to meet a few groups of people along the way (all being caught by the swiftness of this storm). When I reached the training center I was drenched. Even my best efforts to avoid the heaviest downpours left me wet on top and the front of my pants (the backside of my pants was moving too fast for the rain [I pretend to believe]).
Fortunately for me, not only was the rehearsal very relaxed... but about 90% of the people who were there were also caught in the rain, so everyone came in soaked. It turns out that the gig was not a filming, but simply a press conference. The good news? It was a relaxed atmosphere, I had a few laughs, and I made as much money on Tuesday as I would have with a "real" job. Good work, if you can get it.

OH FAVRE!
This topic could easily be about how terrible my Packers have been this year. But I don't feel like crying on my internet (huh?), so it's not. No. This topic is about the Prilasec (I don't care if I misspelled it, I did it on purpose) OTC commercial that I just saw Brett doing. You know, thanks to the pills, my quarterback now no longer has frequent heartburn... and that makes me happy. Perhaps frequent heartburn is the cause of dozens of interceptions per year? Or could it be the worst receiving corp in the league? You tell me. Shouldn't sports figures be selling stuff related to sports? Should I be disheartened that my QB is hocking heartburn medication? Or should I be happy that people still recognize a player on my team? Unlike some other teams in the league (I'm looking at you, Detroit Lions).